Toyota code?


  #1  
Old 10-23-03, 09:04 AM
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Toyota code?

My kids 99 Toyota check engine light is on again I reset it once and its back.
Car is 1999 Toyota Corolla with a 1.8L engine. I turned off light once last week by removing battery cable. It came back I told him go to Auto Zone with he did the code they said is PO446 something about the evaporative system.
My dad bought this car for him so he could go to school and paid for the extra warranty. It is a Toyota Certified car.
What do you guys think the problem could be and Warranty should cover it right?The car has about 50 thousand maybe less miles on it.How about that Emission warranty it should cover it if they give him a hard time.
 
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Old 10-23-03, 09:43 AM
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tHESE are the same as prizms, and the evap sysyems are extremely complicated to figure out.....
I must add that I thought I read in another thread this was fixed by tightening the gas cap. Or did I misread that?
 
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Old 10-23-03, 09:59 AM
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you did read right

Yes I thought I had fixed it last week by turning the gas cap tight I did clear the light and it stayed off for a week.
Today the Auto Zone guy came up with two codes both the same of PO446.I just dont want the dealer to give my son a hassle.
The guy at the Zone told him it would be best if he went there so he is there now.(dealer).
This dealer is kinda always trying to get out of warranty work.
I have bought 3 cars from him and I almost always get a hassle.
 
  #4  
Old 10-23-03, 10:04 AM
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Most likely the tank bypass vacuum switching valve on the cannister is sticking. You have to replace the cannister. Easy to check when you understand the system but it is complicated.

Could take a week or a month to set the light.

Larry
 
  #5  
Old 10-23-03, 10:15 AM
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You have an extended warranty, it should cover the evaporative system, if not I believe the OEM warranty does. Should be a free repair.
 
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Old 10-23-03, 10:20 AM
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BIG bucks?

Thanks for that info I hope Toyota fixes it under warranty.
I know nothing about the new OBII systems. The new carbon canisters are probably high bucks. This would be considered a major emission component I would think. I will keep you up to date on what dealer finds. Knowing them they will probably have to order the part.Larry you are a true Toyota Guru and I do believe you are right.
 
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Old 10-23-03, 10:27 AM
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fREE repair? doubtful. 3/36 I am sure has expired by now.
And those extended service contracts? Better read the fine print.
Many do not cover emissions.
 
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Old 10-23-03, 10:50 AM
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Thats what worries me

That's what is making me worried I hope I don't have to get involved with Toyota. I did read some place that emissions stuff has a longer warranty. My dad did buy the extra plan so I hope it covers it.
This dealer I wont say the name but it has Texas as the first part and also Toyota as the second part in its name. Seems to try to find a reason not to do warranty work.
The first month the battery went south on this what they call certified car.
Brought it in and was not successful with a replacement from them.
This car has been in two times now three one for battery and another for broken C/D player also denied.

Three cars I bought from this dealer a 97 Camary a 99 Corolla and a 03 Matrix.
I am not a happy camper with them.
==================********====================
Kid just came back car is in shop they said 105 dollar diagnostic fee but if it is covered under warranty and it might not be according to them its free. I am getting fired up.
He has to pick car up at 5:30 we will see.
 
  #9  
Old 10-23-03, 11:14 AM
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Considering all the trouble you had, I'd be on the blower with Toyota asking for some answers/goodwill/help.

I'd also be asking the dealer to explain this one which DIRECTLY seems like it's related to your problem:

EG005-99 MAY 99 MIL ON - DTC P0446 (EVAP Vent)

Fight for that to be done for free after you read the details of the bulletin with the dealer. Or, seeing you have had trouble, get them to foot part of the bill as a "goodwill" gesture.

Sorry, I've NEVER had to replace anything in ANY of my evap systems on my cars and they are 20+ years old. Wait maybe I lied. I changed the $2 pancake filter in one GM. LOL.
 
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Old 10-23-03, 11:29 AM
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Thanks Joe

I will look into that EG005-99 MAY 99 MIL ON - DTC P0446 (EVAP Vent)

What exactly is that? I need some ammo when I go down there today.
Is that a bulleton a recall or what How can I find out what it is and most of all will the Dealer know what it is?
 
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Old 10-23-03, 11:38 AM
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JOE

I see it as a service bulleton but I can not get into the site to see what it is about.
 
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Old 10-23-03, 11:49 AM
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That TSB is just for PO 446 a revised ECM. You said you had two codes 446 and some thing the same? Maybe 440 or 441? If so it's the bypass VSV.

Evap system 3 and 36,000

Larry
 
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Old 10-23-03, 12:05 PM
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same

Larry both codes were the same PO 446 I guess it was still in there from last week when I took off a battery cable to turn off the CEL. so one is old and one is new but both are the same.
But I did buy the extended warranty and that should cover it I hope.Now my kid says car has almost 60k on it.I hope I dont get the shaft. I might have to raise cain with Toyota like Joe said.
I mean what good are warrantys if they do not cover anything.
 
  #14  
Old 10-23-03, 12:10 PM
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Let us know what you find out....
 
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Old 10-23-03, 12:14 PM
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I will let you know

I will let you know whats going on I wish I had the warranty in my hands to read it but it is in the glove box at the dealer.
 
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Old 10-23-03, 02:54 PM
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UPDATE

My son calls he went to dealer they claim they checked out the system and found nothing wrong.53 dollar charge for that.
They said that they cleared the code.
What I dont understand is why they charge 53 bucks to tell us that they cant find any thing wrong and we told them to begin with what the code was and all they did was clear the code.
I told my kid to bring home the paper from the dealer.
Mind you this is a BIG dealer not a small town dealer that must have hundreds of cars on the lot and a very big clean service center.
 
  #17  
Old 10-23-03, 04:34 PM
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Hmmm, I thought the OEM dealers were always right and had all the right information to fix the problem?

(Hint, it's great to have the information, having as to what it means or how to use it is a whole other ball game).

Pay the charges, save the paper. The light will likely return. Then bring it back and ask for your money back and the vehicle fixed right.
 
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Old 10-23-03, 05:09 PM
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Unfortunately it depends what type of tech you got to look at your problem. Not all are well versed at evap problems, so it's easy to just clear your code and get on with the next job.

Evap codes can take up to month to set even if there is a defective part present. To set an evap code the ecm will run a test called an evap monitor. Heres what must happen to run the evap monitor

Must have between 1/4-3/4 tank of fuel

cold start with air temp and coolant temp within about 10* of each other

Run time between 5 -20 mins

Speed over 15-20 mph

All the above have to be met to run the monitor. If you start in the morning and drive to the corner and stop and shut off your car to get your coffee, the monitor is done for that start.

Only when the monitor runs and fails will it set the light.



Larry
 

Last edited by toyotaman11769; 10-23-03 at 05:41 PM.
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Old 10-23-03, 05:49 PM
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Invoice quote

I have the invoice here in my grubby hands it says as follows:

LINE OPCODE TECH TYPE HOURS
A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT
1 EVAP EMM.VENT CONTROL MALF.
262 CS
PARTS: 0.00 LABOR 53.00 OTHER:0.00

59617 PO446 evaporative emmissions vent control malf. 0.5
vehicle had full tank of gas.customer may have to top off gas.
cleared code.

From what I can see is they spent half hour looking and found nothing.
I also see they checked out the warrantty because it says:
exp 11/10/04 or 100,000 miles with a 50 buck deductable.
I dont want to have my kid drive around with a check engine light knowing there is something wrong and he might be polluting the air.And not only that here in TX if you have a light you do not pass inspection.
 
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Old 10-24-03, 03:29 AM
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Well, the first step to diagnostics is to verify the concern. If the fault was not occuring while in the shop, they may have not observed anything in a failed state. This is when knowing the history of the vehicle and what typically fails to cause this fault helps out. I don't work on many Prizms, but usually the canistor assembly whick comes with 99% of the valves and and plumbing is what gets replaced. Thankfully I never had to sit down and figure out how exactly that system works, as the components are not available seperately.(Don't know how Toyota makes this availble though)
"No problem found" is a frustrating situation for both the dealer and the consumer. When the light comes back on, have a discussion with the service manager about how you want that 53 bucks applied to the current bill.
There are 3 routes to take when you have an intermittant problem: don't do anything until the problem degrades to the point where a technician will see it failed, leave it at the dealership and let them test it periodically, or start replacing parts. Since an evap failure is not going to cause the vehicle to enter the "tennis shoe mode", you might opt for the first choice.

I drove a customer's 99 Suburban home last night so I would get a glimpse of a skipping fit it goes through intermittantly. I drove it for 50 miles monitoring it with a scan tool, and never saw it fail. So in the interest of keeping the diagnostic costs down and keep profitable work flowing through the shop, I drove it home, this way the customer doesn't have to be paying our hourly rate for me to be driving around in his vehicle waiting for it to fail. He gets free diag time and I get free gas money home. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotts do....
 
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Old 10-24-03, 03:59 AM
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Not upset with Tech

I am not upset with the tech I know this is a hard problem to solve.I am upset that I had to pay for something auto Zone does free and I have a warranty.I am sure the light will go on again.
I am just mad because they like to jack around my kid because he is a teenager and knows no better.
I have a mind to call Toyota headquarters and explain the situation from all the times from C/D player to battery to now this .
It is not over I can promise you that!
I am almost sure if they put in a new carbon canistar that will fix the problem.Also maybe a new fuel cap for good measure.
 
  #22  
Old 10-24-03, 06:43 AM
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Thumbs up

Michael:

You have the right idea. I would be calling Toyota too if this were my vehicle.

I got Saturn's attention some years ago after their piss poor service by giving them straight zeros down the line on the customer survey they sent regarding warranty repairs. I also told them to stop offending my intelligence by sending me "specials" for $60 oil changes that I do myself for less than $10 and better than they ever could .

Bet your bottom dollar I got a call from the dealer and Saturn and all of sudden "everything will be resolved".

The power of the pen (or voice) is paramount.
 
 

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